On Saturday 1 March 1466, two young Frenchmen participated in a general ordination that took place in the sacristy of the old Saint Peter's basilica in Rome. At first sight, these men do not seem to differ from the other 50 young men ordained at the same time. Their presence in the ordination is marked in the Libri formatarum, that is, in the records of the ordination, with just a few words:
Petrus Chaffalt rector parochialis ecclesie de Aureavalle Nanetensis dioc. Petrus Profilt rector parochialis ecclesie de Burgomonasteriorum Nanetensis dioc.
These entries in the Libri formatarum thus testify that Petrus Chaffalt or Pierre du Chaffault was ordained subdeacon and Petrus Profilt deacon. One month later, on 5 April 1466, these two men were again ordained together at the Roman curia – this time both to priesthood. Looking more closely, one finds they share several common factors. Not only were the men both French, they both came from the diocese of Nantes and were already rectors of parish churches (Lat. rector parochialis ecclesiae): Pierre du Chaffault was rector of the parish church of Orvault on the north-west edge of the city of Nantes, while Petrus Profilt was rector of the parish church of Burgomonasteriorum of the same diocese.
Pierre du Chaffault was not just any young priest; he was an ecclesiastical high-flyer, a man destined to important positions. He had the necessary noble background and connections. First serving as a canon of Nantes, his ecclesiastical career culminated on 10 March 1477 when Sixtus IV appointed him bishop of Nantes. He was still holding this office when he died in November 1487 at the bishop's palace in Nantes. We know from various sources that Pierre du Chaffault was an important prelate (he was, to give but one example, present in Rome at the consistory held in the Apostolic palace in Rome on 20 December 1485, when Innocent VIII formally decided to canonize Duke Leopold of Austria). Petrus Profilt, in his turn, remains virtually unknown. He did not become a bishop or other significant person in church history, but remained one of the humble functionaries of the Roman curia.